“ARGUS" THE PROPHET

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1921, Page 1

“ARGUS" THE PROPHET

FORTH XE-TBLUrNO CHARGES.

DISMISSED

[by telegraph—PEß press association

AUCKLAND, January 21

Judgment was given in the Magistrate’s Court by Mr Poynton, S.M., in tho case in which Chas. Louis Copeland, professional entertainer, and his son “Argus” (N. J. Copeland, aged 11 years) were charged with pretending to tell fortunes, pretending from skill and knowledge in occult and crafty sciences to discover where and in wftat manner any goods and chattels supposed to li,r> been stolen or last might be found, by using subtle craft to deceive and impose upon bis Majesty’s subjects. The case was heard on Monday last, an adjournment being made to allow the bov to demonstrate bis alleged telepathic powers before the Magistrate and representatives of the Press. On that occasion the Magistrate stated Hint he had personally tested the boy’s powers and expressed regret that- the subject [ lmd not received the scientific investigation it deserved. This demonstration was given in open Court Indore judgment

was delivered, the Magistrate ruling that only representatives of the police, officials of the Court, and representatives of the Press might submit tests, seeing that if unofficial people were connected with it, it. might he said that defendants had *-onfedeirates present. None of the tests involved the alleged foretelling of future events, being conlined solely to thought reading. The method followed in most cases was to show to the father articles which the hoy, who was blindfolded and sat beside the Magistrate, usually described acturately. Cards selected from a pack were corrcstly naiped, and in several instances written questions were correctly answered. One Court official asked how many subjects he had sat fpi

lin the recent examination, and in i how )nany he lint! passed. The correct I amp tiers were given. The questioner, of cpurs>\ was in possession of the result of the examination. It appeared that the boy could usually read his father’s mind and occasionally the minds of other people, the demonstration being similar to that sometimes given on stages. In bis judgment, the Magistrate said ! the Boy was sometimes sensitive to thought jtorco. emanating from his father’s brain. It was not.. a ease of code or apparatus to convey surreptitiously the father's impressions, but a genuine instance of telepathy. Dealing with the fact that at the entertainments answers were given by the boy to questions as to future events,” Mr Poynton said that this pretended divination of the future was as old as hu-

inanity. In Hu* present case, stress had been laid by the defence upon evidence given by some witnesses upon the correstness of the boy’s predictions. “That does not convince. ’’ said the Magistrate. "Kvery fortune teller, astrologer, or other hunihng could bring similar evidence.” The father’s engagement he proceeded was to exhibit the hoy’s telepathic powers, but the public- had afterwards asked for more. The average thea-tre-goer was not so much interested in the scientific aspect of telepathy as in the result of the next horse races, a love affair, or business ventures and it would lie difficult indeed to prevent fortunetelling creeping in. The father believed in the hoy’s prophetic powers, so there was no intention to deceive on his part. The hoy, under his suggestion, believed in his powers of divination also. After eiurig eases on the subject, which gave but ljule authority, Mr foynlpn said that under the law if a person cutting cards or leading tea leaves or otherwise indicating the future and had no belief in it, and said so, there was no offence, An offence consisted in undertaking to tell fortunes. That was a profession to divide the future and it was jn|in,‘iterial whether the offender believe in his powers or not. The Jaw did not recognise such a, power and undertaking to exercise it was an offence in itself. In this ease there was a pretence to divine the future. It was injurious to the public to reply on such forecasts, “What is the good of doing anything? It is all wrtten in the Book of Fate’’ was a mad mental condition to get into. Apart from the parasites encouraged by a belief in fortune-telling, the self-reliance and resource,fulness of individuals were weakened if a belief in fatalism was developed. J’rogressi ».e peoples were those who believed their futures were in their own hands. Although he thought an offence had been proved he did not wish to convict the defendants. The fpther was- sincere in his confi-

once in hjs hoy's powers, and the boy was under -ijs father’s influence. lie was a line lad in every way, and it would be wrong in the dylinistances £o convict him. Ho would bo admonished and discharged. As this was a test case, the father would be'discharged on payment of the costs of the prosecution. The Magistrate added that it was regrettable that the boy’s powers were not being investigated and recorded by

scientific men. JB[e was very intelligent and did not become unconscious during tho seances, eo his feelings ; impressions cool easily be ascertained. Mr Fleming, who with Mr Rodgers appeared for the defence, thanked the Magistrate for the sympathetic hearing lie had given the case hut said he was not sure that he agreed with the judgment on the law and indicated that -an appeal might ho lodged. His contention, as stated prior to the delivery of the judgment was that the hoy could foretell the future in so far as the future had its roots in the present.